How to increase your bottom line by going green

Transcription

How to increase
your bottom line
by going green
Authors
Dr Sonya Graci
Sustainable business specialist, Director of
Accommodating Green
Assistant Professor at the Ted Rogers School
of Hospitality and Tourism Management at
Ryerson University, Toronto
http://green.hotelscombined.com
Jaqueline Kuehnel
Corporate social responsibility, climate
change and business specialist.
Managing Director of JK Consulting
Enterprises
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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Environmental impact of hotels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Why go green? The business case for sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Benefit:
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Benefit:
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cost savings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
competitive advantage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
employee retention. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
customer loyalty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
regulatory compliance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
risk management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
‘cause it’s the right thing to do!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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How to get started – tools for success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
1. Identify a green coordinator/champion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2. Setting a baseline – departmental audits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3. Determining staff support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
4. Setting an action plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
5. Electing a green committee or team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
6. Write an environmental policy statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
7. Incorporating your environmental program into employee training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
8. Benchmarking and regular progress reports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Best practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
A. Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B. Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
C. Waste. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
D. Green meetings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E. Green building practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
F. Purchasing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
G. Promoting the local economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
H. Employee engagement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
I. Social responsibility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
J. Conservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
K. Customer education. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The hospitality industry future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Appendix one: the environmental impacts of a hotel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
Appendix two: sample environmental policy statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Appendix three: self-audit checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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Introduction
Tourism is recognized as one of the world’s
largest industries and continues to expand at
a rapid rate (UNWTO 2006). Over 922 million
people travelled in 2008 and it is estimated
international tourism will increase to
1.1 billion by 2020 (UNWTO 2008). Tourism
is also a profitable economic endeavor,
making it an economically enticing industry
and a form of development for many
countries around the world. However, the
benefits of tourism are often accompanied
by many negative environmental and social
impacts. These include:
The hotel industry forms a large part of
the tourism industry and if not managed
properly, it has the potential to be
detrimental to the social and natural
environments within which it functions.
Hotels are also resource intensive and in
order to reduce their impact, it is imperative
to go “green!”
Many greening initiatives are not expensive
to implement and provide substantial
benefits to the business!
• revenue leakage from the community,
• air noise and water pollution,
This guide is written to help you learn about
the many benefits which can be harnessed
from being green, as well as provide you
with a step-by-step guide and best practice
examples on operating your property in the
most sustainable way possible.
• degradation and depletion of natural
resources,
• biodiversity loss,
• labor issues,
• encroachment and overbuilding
(Theobald 1998; Bohdanowicz 2005; Dodds
2005; Graci 2009).
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Environmental impact of hotels
waste per guest per day” (Bohdanowicz
2005:190). Approximately 30 percent of
waste in hotels can be diverted through
reuse and recycling.
Individually, hotels do not have a
significant negative impact on the
environment. Collectively however, they
can be very wasteful and consume
huge amount of resources. It has been
estimated that seventy-five percent of
hotels’ environmental impacts can be
directly related to excessive consumption
(Bohdanowicz, 2006). This is wasteful
in terms of resources and it creates
unnecessary operational costs.
Water - Tourists and residents alike require
a clean and dependable supply of water
for survival including drinking, cooking and
cleansing. However, water is integral to
the amenities usually expected by tourists,
such as swimming pools, landscaped
gardens, and golf courses. Water also
supports industries such as agriculture that
support the tourism industry (Pigram, 1995).
Thus, tourists demand more water than
local residents on a per capita basis (Essex,
Kent & Newnham, 2004). It has been
estimated by Salen (1995) that 15,000 cubic
meters of water would typically supply
100 rural farmers for three years and 100
urban families for two years, yet only supply
100 luxury hotel guests for less than two
months (Holden, 2000). In dryer regions,
tourists’ water consumption can amount to
440 liters a day per tourist, which is almost
double the average amount of water used
by residents in Spain (UNEP, 2008).
The three key areas of environmental
impact are energy, water, and waste.
Energy - Excessive energy use is extremely
costly and with minor adjustments, it can
lead to massive cost savings. According to
Gössling et. al. (2005), “the average energy
consumption per bed per night in hotels
might be in the order of 130 Megajoules.
Hotels generally use more energy per visitor
than local residents, as they have energy
intense facilities, such as bars, restaurants,
and pools, and have more spacious
rooms” (Gössling et. al. 2005:6). Studies
have determined that a hotel emits an
average 20.6 kg of carbon dioxide per night
(Gössling et al., 2005).
In destinations that do not have the
required infrastructure and systems to
manage these impacts, severe degradation
of the environment can occur. To further
demonstrate the environmental impacts of
hotels, Appendix one identifies the main
environmental impacts from hotel services
and development.
Waste - A study conducted by
Bohdanowicz (2005) also identified that
hotels are not only resource intensive and
that waste generation is one of the most
visible effects on the environment. One
estimate identified “that an average hotel
produces in excess of one kilogram of
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Why go green? The business case for sustainability
Other popular cost cutting measures for the
short-, mid- and long-term include:
Several studies have indicated that
economic benefits can be gained in hotels
through implementing environmental and
social initiatives; many with little or no
capital. In addition to cost benefits, there are
also benefits to choosing an environmentally
sustainable strategy. These include:
• Use of compact fluorescent lights –
saves energy.
• Gaining competitive advantage by being
a leader in the sector;
• Low-flow shower systems – saves water
and energy.
• Customer loyalty;
• Local products – save transportation
costs.
• Reuse of linens – saves water, detergent,
energy and greenhouse gases.
• Employee retention;
• Installation of green roofs – saves
energy.
• Awards and recognition;
• Regulatory compliance;
• Installation of solar heaters or other
renewable energy source – saves energy.
• Risk management;
• Increased brand value.
The ultimate result of these actions is a
win‑win situation; to reduce hotel
operational costs and harmful environmental
impacts (Claver-Cortes et al., 2007).
But most of all, because it’s the right thing
to do!
The hotel industry has been pursuing green
practices since the 1990s due to fluctuating
economic levels and a strong focus on
customer service (Claver-Cortes et al., 2007).
Reports by hundreds of businesses around
the world illustrate that by implementing
appropriate management processes they
have:
There are many green practices that hotels
can implement as preventative measures to
save unnecessary costs. Examples of these
practices are:
• Reduced energy and water consumption
costs by more than 20 percent.
• Solid waste and waste water disposal
costs by more than 15 percent.
• Pollution prevention such as waste
discharge into waterways:
• Improved the quality of the environment
in which they operate.
• Energy consumption;
• Improved staff motivation and
community relations (Travel Life, 2008).
• Recycling;
The following illustrates in more detail the
benefits of going green!
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Benefit: cost savings
The Comfort Inn and Suites in Red
Deer, Alberta has implemented a roofbased solar energy system to reduce large
energy costs. The system heats and cools
the hotel and converts waste energy from
the hotel’s other systems. The installation
of the solar energy system cost the hotel
owner USD $1.4 million however the hotel
can last up to 14 days without sun and the
system will have enough energy stored to
heat and cool the property. Maintenance
of the system is also minimal resulting in
an extremely cost efficient energy system
(Green Lodging News 2008).
Brebbia and Pineda (2004) claim that financial
savings are one of the most significant
factors that influence the implementation of
environmental initiatives in a hotel. This is
especially evident for hotel businesses that
operate in a highly competitive market and
where the cost of energy, water and waste
disposal are high. Hotel operators that
can maximize their efficiency and reduce
waste will be more cost-effective than their
competitors. For example, a hotel can
reduce its energy consumption by 20-40%
without adversely affecting performance.
The Holiday Inn in North Vancouver,
British Columbia has saved approximately
USD $16,000 annually and reduced 28
percent of its energy consumption through
installing an in-room energy management
system. The system features occupancy
sensors that automatically monitor and
adjust individual room temperatures.
The system was able to ensure a return
on investment within 14 months (Green
Lodging News 2008).
Hotels also use large amounts of energy to
keep guests cool in hot temperatures, and
equally large amounts of energy to keep
them warm during the winter.
In some destinations, hotels place an
additional, sometimes unsustainable
demand on local water resources and
generate large quantities of food and
packaging waste.
Some examples of environmental initiatives
and cost savings include:
Despite the setup costs and the possible
lengthy return on investment associated
with environmental initiatives, the economic
benefits usually outweigh the cost of
implementation. Starting with projects
that are less capital intensive – such as
retrofitting light bulbs, energy metering, and
training staff to be conscious of energy use
– can lead to substantial cost savings.
Holiday Inn on King in Toronto reports
saving Cdn $14,852 per year through the
installation of low flow showerheads and
faucet aerators (Graci 2002).
The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto
invested Cdn $25,000 in an energy
conservation program to replace leaky
steam traps and fix leaks, which resulted
in an annual savings of over Cdn $200,000
(Graci 2002).
Benefit: competitive advantage
Green programs can provide a competitive
advantage to leaders as long as green
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increasingly sophisticated and “tuned” into
current thinking in society and are far more
likely to identify with an employer whose
principles and practices are aligned with
their values.
activities continue to be voluntary. Over
time, however, green practices in the
hospitality industry will become a baseline
requirement, particularly as the cost
of non-renewable energy continues to
rise, regulatory pressure increases, and
consumers become more demanding.
Therefore, hotels with business models
that revolve around green practices will
have the strongest opportunity to achieve
a competitive advantage by being ahead of
the emerging sustainability curve.
Environmental programs have proved to be
an effective means of generating enthusiasm
and motivating staff to work as a team to
achieve a common purpose. Many hotel
companies use environmental programs as a
staff incentive – the financial savings earned
are translated into cash or other rewards
such as in-house events or trips.
New brands including Starwood Capital’s “1”
Hotel and Residences, Starwood Hotel and
Resorts Element and Hyatt’s Andaz, which
feature LEED certified buildings as part of
their brand standards, offer a variety of green
products, such as green spas and restaurants.
These are anticipated to test consumers’
appetite for a greener hotel industry.
Employee turnover rate in the hotel sector
is relatively high therefore increasing the
retention rate will also save the business
money in training of new staff.
Benefit: customer loyalty
Over the past 25 years there has been
a shift in the expectations and demands
of consumers. The typical hotel guest of
today is more sophisticated and to varying
degrees is likely to be concerned about
environmental issues such as recycling
bottles, cans and paper at home as well as
making greener lifestyle choices, such as
organic food or fuel-efficient vehicles.
There is also a competitive advantage for
being recognized for your green efforts.
The Fairmont has received many awards
relating to their green practices, such as the
2008 Environmental Leadership Award from
the Professional Convention Management
Association and the 2008 Green Leadership
Award from Hotelier Magazine (Fairmont,
2008). Awards and recognition spread the
news of the hotel’s efforts and attracts new
clientele, such as corporations that need to
conduct business with socially responsible
companies.
Many guests however, make their decision
to stay at a hotel facility based on location,
amenities, and service. The implementation
of environmental initiatives may play a
smaller role in a guest’s choice of a property.
The influence from customers however
occurs when their level of awareness
increases and they come to expect
environmental practices such as recycling.
Benefit: employee retention
Employees are identified as one of
the greatest benefits of going green.
Employees, like hotel guests, are
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Benefit: risk management
Despite first-time guests basing their
decisions on location, amenities and
service, customer loyalty may increase
once they have experienced a hotel which
has demonstrated a level of environmental
commitment.
Risk minimization is now viewed as
increasingly intertwined with good corporate
social responsibility and governance.
Managing risk is as much about minimizing
the potential damage from decisions and
actions taken from within a company as it is
about managing external exposure.
Benefit: regulatory compliance
Hotels must anticipate future regulatory
changes and implement initiatives to
mitigate the possible costly effects of
emerging regulation. Savvy businesses are
aware that regulations do not have to be a
negative restraint on their daily operations
– in fact, they can offer opportunities to
gain an advantage over competitors. Some
environmental regulations are good for
economic competition as they stimulate
innovation that can offset the cost of
compliance.
Traditionally, a hotel’s risk management
strategy has been focused on health and
safety concerns around food and water, pest
infestation, fire or water damage, outbreaks
of disease, and guest security and safety.
In recent years however, environmental and
social issues are emerging as a key risk
issue for the lodging sector.
Environmental risks include:
• Water and land contamination.
By implementing measures in the face of
societal and regulatory pressures, unexpected,
but substantial cost savings as well as
potential new areas of profit may be found.
• Air and noise pollution.
The hotel industry worldwide is increasingly
being regulated for:
Environmental risks also have an impact on
the cost of capital for businesses of various
types and sizes, and may affect the value of
a company over the long term. In addition,
the investment community is increasingly
regarding excellence in environmental
management and performance as an
indication of the quality and aptitude of
management in general. Some insurance
companies and lenders are beginning to
selectively adjust their rates based on
environmental criteria stipulated by ethical
funds.
• Supply chain environmental practices.
• Waste management.
• Waste
• Water
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Energy use.
Being aware of pending rule changes will
allow you to adopt measures in advance,
and avoid potentially higher future costs
which may be associated with compliance.
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responsibility in order to extend their brand
knowledge to different types of audiences,
to gain employee retention and improved
competitive advantage (Bohdanowicz &
Zientara, 2008), and lastly because it is “the
right thing to do”.
Companies that integrate the environment
into their business decisions and reduce
their environmental risk and potential
liabilities are in a better position to secure
investment and reduce their financial and
reputational market exposure (Graci and
Dodds, 2009).
Sixty-five percent of the top 100 companies
in the world employ some sort of corporate
social responsibility statement featured
on their websites (Holcomb et al., 2007).
Several multinational companies have
gained a very negative brand reputation
based on their past unethical practices.
Benefit: ‘cause it’s the right thing
to do!
Beyond regulation and compliance, many
environmental and social initiatives are
voluntary. Whether driven by cost savings
or a principled strategy, the hotel industry is
recognizing the environment, the community
and their human capital as a valuable
resource to be protected. Long-term
business sustainability will depend on this.
Larger companies have been criticized as
being the main culprit in releasing excess
greenhouse emissions, climate change,
environmental devastation, and unfair
treatment of employees. Due to such
criticisms and negative publicity, many
businesses have increased the focus on
corporate social responsibility.
Many hotels have implemented social
initiatives and corporate social responsibility
(CSR) into their regular day-to-day
practices. Corporate social responsibility
in the hotel industry ideally exists in
human resources management, the
local community, and through promoting
and practicing environmental initiatives
(Bohdanowicz & Zientara, 2008) and is
heavily influenced by internal and external
forces. CSR has been widely expanding
throughout the hotel industry, mainly to
prove that corporate unethical behavior
is no longer a problem. Thus, hotels are
embarking on being ethical through social
initiatives by protecting and supporting
communities, their human resources,
and by implementing environmental
initiatives (Bohdanowicz & Zientara, 2008).
Many international and local hotels are
becoming involved in corporate social
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How to get started – tools for success
1. Identify a green coordinator/
champion
It is evident that there are a number of
benefits to going green, many of which
increase your bottom line as well as your
brand value.
In order for any environmental program to
be successful, the first step is nominating
someone in the organization as being
responsible for it.
The questions remain then, how to get
started? and what are the tools to success?
Some potential choices for this role would
be the general manager or other senior
management or executive staff within the
business.
There are eight key components to
establishing a program to effectively green
your hotel:
In addition to the green coordinator, the
hotel must also have an environmental
coordinator to facilitate carrying out the
program’s implementation.
1. Identify a green coordinator/champion.
2. Set a baseline to focus your efforts and
measure future success.
The environmental coordinator would
primarily be responsible for:
3. Engage your staff.
• Organizing the Green Team.
4. Set an action plan.
• Coordinating environmental audits for
water, waste, energy, carbon emissions
and purchasing.
5. Elect a Green Team to run the program
in-house.
• Monitoring of performance against
established goals.
6. Write an Environmental Policy Statement.
7. Train employees.
The environmental coordinator is crucial
to the success of the program as they
will assume the role of program manager,
information gatherer, communicator,
motivator and ambassador to guests and
clients (Fairmont, 2002).
8. Benchmark your efforts.
Six Senses Hotels and Resorts operating out
of Thailand, dedicates three people, a Social
and Environment coordinator, an engineer
and an environmental analyst to administer
sustainable policies. At the property level, each
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resort has a full-time Social and Environment
coordinator to lead the property’s sustainability
initiatives (Ernst and Young, 2008).
It is also good practice to ensure that the
measurements are tracked against the
established goals on a regular basis by
each department and there is a central
tracking system which consolidates all the
data for analysis.
2. Setting a baseline –
departmental audits
Departmental audits are essential to
determining where you should focus your
efforts. To set future goals, it is imperative
to have a clear understanding of the hotel’s
current position in terms of resource use
by department. Therefore, it is essential
to audit how much energy and water is
consumed, as well as how much and what
type of waste is generated. All operations
generate green house gases (GHG), and
as carbon emissions are increasingly
being used as a measure of efficiency,
this could be incorporated as an indicator
in your audits. It can be built as part of
your environmental audits or conducted
separately as a GHG inventory report done
by a carbon management firm.
Annual reports indicating the baseline and
progress made towards achieving your
goals will communicate your efforts to
internal and external stakeholders and keep
the departments on track.
3. Determining staff support
Without the support of the employees, an
environmental program will rarely succeed.
It is imperative to engage and consult with
employees before starting and during the
development and implementation phase
of an environmental program. Employees
also have a better understanding of the
areas where savings can occur and of small
improvements that have the potential to
make a big difference.
Measurement and benchmarking is
crucial to the success of an environmental
program. You must to know what you use
and produce before you can reduce it!
With advice from your employees, you
will get a better understanding of both
the environmental issues within your
property and of your employee’s concerns,
interest and passions. As an example, in
some areas waste management might
be a common concern, whereas in other
locations, water conservation and air quality
may be an issue.
Departments that need to be audited are:
• Engineering
• Laundry
• General management
Begin with an ideas campaign, and get
employees excited about being able to provide
suggestions for the environmental program.
It will also help if you can give incentives for
the best ideas related to reducing the hotel’s
overall environmental impact.
• Grounds and recreation
• Housekeeping
• Purchasing
• Kitchen and food and beverage outlets
• Front desk
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By phasing in an environmental program
and choosing easily attainable goals with
quick wins which have a major impact,
it is easier to keep on track and find the
money to invest in bigger projects. Seeing
results should increase senior management
support and generate employee enthusiasm.
Consulting your employees is a great
starting point for your environmental
program and gives employees a sense of
empowerment and ownership. It will make
them proud to work at your hotel.
4. Setting an action plan
In order to achieve results, goals should be
set on an annual basis. Using the audit as a
baseline, the goals should be attainable and
measurable.
5. Electing a green committee or
team
Once the support and enthusiasm of the
employees is gained and an action plan
identified, it is imperative to assemble a team to
run the new environmental program in-house.
For example, a goal such as “Reduce
energy consumption where possible” is
a great idea, but much too vague to be
practical. A clearer and more suitable action
plan would be to “Replace all incandescent
light bulbs with compact fluorescents
wherever possible” or to create “a policy
that all housekeeping staff keep all window
drapes closed and lights turned off when
a room is not in use”. This can then be
translated into meaningful and measurable
goals, such as percentage reduction in
a year, and also how much money that
reduction has saved.
Establishing an environmental committee or
“Green Team” is essential to the success of an
environmental program. It is also just as important
to find a group of enthusiastic employees who are
passionate about environmental issues. Finding
a Green Champion from senior management
is necessary for the Green Team’s success.
Some considerations when selecting a
Green Team are:
• Technical expertise in areas such as
operations, engineering and purchasing.
Specific and attainable action plans are
much easier to monitor in terms of project
completion and cost savings.
• Departmental representation such as front
desk, food and beverage, housekeeping
• Keep groups to a manageable size to
ensure easier decision-making.
In order to get you on track with the action
plan:
• Involve marketing and sales as they may
have useful external intelligence about
consumers and competitors.
• Choose goals in the first year that are
easily attainable. An example is setting
all printers to double-sided printing.
• Communication skills are invaluable
and the people you select should
be comfortable dealing with senior
management and employees alike, as
well as with external stakeholders.
• Keep track of all the cost savings
measures. It will be easier to justify
bigger expenses in energy conservation.
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7. Incorporating your environmental
program into employee training
Members of the Green Team should exhibit
qualities such as:
In order for an environmental program to be
successful, the goals and objectives should
be incorporated into employee training.
• Have an interest in environmental matters.
• Be enthusiastic, motivated and passionate.
• Able to commit a certain amount of time.
Employees should be made aware of the
policies and initiatives, as well as the goals
and objectives of the environmental program.
This information should be included in training
documentation, in orientation packages for
new employees, as well as other staff training
methods, with the aim to integrate these
policies into the organization. Posters, general
staff emails and other less formal means are
also a great way to make employees aware of
the environmental program initiatives.
6. Write an environmental policy
statement
An environmental policy statement should
be written to communicate both internally
and externally.
A well written policy statement needs to
expresses the following:
• Environmental goals that the facility will
undertake (for example, committing to
reduce 20% of waste by X year).
Policies work best when staff members
understand their responsibilities in
achieving the policy objectives.
• The way in which the organization aims to
treat the people it employs (for example,
through upholding equal opportunities
and other fundamental human rights).
8. Benchmarking and regular
progress reports
• The way in which it aims to integrate
into the community in which it is based
and co-operate on any significant local
issues that impact the business.
Benchmarking progress on a regular basis
is vital in achieving the goal of being a
responsible business.
Regular progress reports should be made
on the monitoring and measurement of the
goals in the environmental program. Progress
of how the goals are being achieved should
also be communicated to all stakeholders
and placed on the website (if appropriate).
For larger businesses a sustainability report
or integrating a section on environment/social
responsibility in the annual report would be an
effective means to communicate results.
Policy statements should be communicated
where possible:
• Employee manuals
• At the back of the house
• On the website
• In guest information packs
A sample environmental policy statement
you can use for your hotel can be found in
Appendix two.
Benchmarking and annual reports would
enable building on good results by setting
targets for further achievement.
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Best practices
lakes are shrinking and wetlands are drying
up. Water conservation is necessary in
all areas of the world. It is estimated that
up to 50% of the water that families used
could be saved by implementing simple
conservation methods. The savings in
energy and sewage treatment costs would
all add up. Several hotels have implemented
water saving initiatives.
Several hotels around the world have
implemented creative cost saving initiatives
to reduce their impact on the environment.
The following are best practice examples
from various hotels of differing sizes,
ownership and location.
A. Energy
Tracking utility bills can help properties
monitor the effectiveness of their energy
conservation initiatives. By installing
energy-efficient technologies such as
appliances, lighting and heating/cooling
systems, hotels can produce cost savings
on their monthly utilities bills.
For example, the Willard Intercontinental in
Washington D.C. has implemented water-free
urinals resulting in savings of 95,000 gallons of
water in 2005 (Willard InterContinental Hotel
Washington D.C., 2009). Environmentally
friendly solutions are also used in the laundry
which results in saving tons of chemicals from
entering the water system.
For example, the Fairmont Dallas has
installed tinted windows and digital
thermostats in their guest rooms to reduce
the consumption of energy resulting in
$50,000 savings in electricity costs annually
(Fairmont, 2008).
The Fairmont Royal York in Toronto saves
476,000 liters of water per day by having
an installed water softener that reduces
water use for laundry. Previously, the ice
machines and freezer units at the Fairmont
Palliser in Calgary, Alberta would discharge
the water used to cool the compressors.
This water is now redirected, reducing the
hotels water consumption by 30 percent.
The heat energy from these units is also
reclaimed to heat the domestic hot water
and pool water (Graci and Dodds, 2009).
The Otani in Japan installed a new air
conditioning and kitchen system, through
which it achieved a 14% savings in energy
and a 30% carbon emissions reduction.
(Ernst and Young, 2008).
The Willard Intercontinental located in
Washington D.C. is now running on 100%
wind energy power resulting in a 12%
decline in energy consumption over the
past five years (Willard InterContinental
Hotel Washington D.C., 2009). The hotel
also offers hybrid cars to their guests.
The Otani in Japan constructed a water
recycling plant, which produces 1,000 tons
of recycled water daily from kitchen sewage
to be utilized in gardens or staff lavatories
B. Water
The first eco-friendly resort, the Maho Bay
Camp in St. John was opened in 1976
Around the globe, water tables are falling,
underground aquifers are being depleted,
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Best practices
is a better alternative to dumping food
waste, as composted waste can be used as
organic fertilizers (Alexander 2002).
and utilizes low flush composting toilets,
spring action faucets and showers, rain
water catchments and solar heated water
to conserve natural resources and minimize
the footprint that the hotel and visitors leave
on the island (Ernst and Young, 2008).
The Willard Intercontinental in Washington
D.C. has recycled a total of 191 tons in
2008. Landfill wastes (non-recyclables) have
decreased from 1029 tons in 2005, to 635
tons in 2008, which is a 38% reduction.
In 2005, they were able to compost one
ton. By 2008, the composting increased
to 37 tons with a 33% increase over 2007
(Willard InterContinental Hotel Washington
D.C., 2009). These practices have been
very successful for the hotel and have been
justified by their future cost reductions and
increasing occupancy rates. The hotel in
return has received numerous rewards such
as the Mayor’s Environmental Award in
2009 and Business of the Year 2009 award
for such efforts (Willard InterContinental
Hotel Washington D.C., 2009).
C. Waste
The hotel industry can reduce the amount of
waste produced by implementing and following
a waste management system that is modeled
around the concepts of reduce, reuse and
recycle (Greenhotelier, 2004). Approximately 54
percent of a hotel’s solid waste can either be
recycled or reused (Alexander 2002). A study
by Bohdanowicz (2005) identified that “a large
proportion (50-60 percent) of the waste
materials in an accommodation facility can
be recycled or reused”.
For example, it has been discovered that
the average quantity of unsorted waste
materials for Radisson SAS hotels was
reported as 3.1 kilograms per guest night in
2002. On the other hand, Scandic Hotels,
which has an extensive waste management
program, reported an average of 0.515
kilograms of unsorted waste per guest per
night” (Bohdanowicz 2005:190).
Waste can also be used creatively in
the building process, given to the local
community for use in their buildings, or
used as an attraction such as at the Maho
Bay Camp in St. John which has a Trash
to Treasures Art Center that recycles the
resort’s waste materials into craft items
The Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel
introduced a recycling program that
promotes the recycling of 22 tons of
materials and a savings of $6000 annually
(Alexander 2002).
D. Green meetings
As more and more corporations are including
a commitment to the environment as part
of their mission statement, the demand for
conference facilities that also reflect this
commitment is growing. In many cases, the
mandate given to the meeting planner is to
plan and promote a conference that uses
Forty six percent of a hotel’s solid waste
is food waste (Alexander, 2002). Since all
food waste can be composted, hotels are
increasingly recognizing that composting
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Best practices
waste and environmentally friendly cement
called “Portland Pozzolana Cement” and
“autoclaved aerated concrete” to deplete
the topsoil and provide thermal insulation,
which both use a large percentage of fly
ash (Jones, 2002). In terms of architecture,
The Orchid Hotel has positioned some of
their rooms to avoid facing external cements
to prevent heat load, constructed ceilings
to invite natural light into the building, in
addition to a rooftop swimming pool to
protect the building from heat. The hotel has
also taken into consideration energy-savings
and reducing their air pollution by installing
a compact fluorescent light systems to
reduce energy, wireless key card readers to
turn off unnecessary lighting and CFC-free
(chlorofluorocarbons) refrigerators. The hotel
has also installed a modified tank to their air
conditioners in order to store energy during
off-peak hours and reduce overall use of
energy, as well as installed scrubbers in their
chimneys to reduce the fumes released in the
air. With the hotel being situated in a large
city, it is an exceptional example of how a
city hotel can successfully go green using the
‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ method (Jones, 2002).
suppliers who have an environmental policy,
and whose products and services offer the
best environmental specification or the least
harmful environmental option.
Several hotels are now offering meeting and
conference options that focus on greening
all aspects of the conference; from zero
waste and carbon offsetting options, to
greening services such as compostable
and recyclable products. The latter include
things like stationary; disposal free food and
beverage service using reusable products
such as china and linen napkins, focusing
on eco-tours of the hotel and surrounding
areas, and locally sourced, organic cuisine.
There are a number of options to ensure
that meetings are green and the Fairmont
Eco-Meet program was one of the first
and the most successful green meetings
program for a hotel chain. Other hotels that
hold corporate conferences and events are
also focusing on greening their meetings as
this is increasingly being required from their
corporate clients (Fairmont, 2002).
E. Green building practices
Six Senses Hotels and Resorts use
materials from renewable sources, such
as wood, adobe, mud and thatch. One
prominent example of green construction
is the Six Senses Hua Hin Spa, Thailand,
which is made of clay-like mud, straw and
rice husks. They are also launching a new
brand that will be carbon positive and
LEED Gold Standard certified. It also plans
of making its company’s flagship resort,
Soneva Fushi, a zero-carbon emitting resort
by 2010 (Ernst and Young, 2008).
Green building practices are increasingly
being used in new and retrofitted
developments, mainly for energy and water
efficiency and to reduce hazardous waste.
For example, the Orchid Hotel located in
Mumbai, India, is a prime example of a
“green” hotel that attracts up-scale clientele
and provides state-of-the-art technology
and luxury in an “environmental friendly
context” (Jones, 2002). The hotel is made
of re-usable wall panels made from fertilizer
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Best practices
The Kingfisher Bay Resort located on Fraser
Island in Australia was opened in 1992 and
built to the highest environmental design and
sustainability standards. Buildings carefully
constructed around trees were designed to be
energy efficient and are restricted to two levels
to promote environmental harmony.
only purchase environmentally-friendly
products. Purchasing locally all items and
services, will also reduce the impact on the
environment and benefit the community.
Hotels can purchase and use biodegradable
cleaning products, and purchase certified
organic produce and products.
It is also important to design the hotel with
the community and its culture in mind. The
Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa pioneered
environmentally friendly lodging in the
Middle East. The resort is located within the
225 square kilometers of the Dubai Desert
Conservation Reserve and was awarded by
National Geographic as one of the world’s
best ecotourism models. It was constructed
to represent a traditional Bedouin camp and
embraces the indigenous culture, wildlife,
desert habitat and environment of the
region (Ernst and Young, 2008).
In Indonesia, the independently owned
Damai Lovina Villas in Bali, has effectively
reduced cost by decreasing waste and
energy usage. The resort partners with
a local research center that provides the
resort with environmentally safe agricultural
and household products. The resort’s
restaurant sources 80% of its ingredients
from its own organic garden and local
farms. By practicing sustainable farming,
such as using permaculture to reduce water
consumption and increasing crop health,
and composting in lieu of using chemical
fertilizers, the farm was able to reduce crop
production costs by 90% and increase crop
production by 20% (Ernst and Young, 2008).
Even using only environmentally sensitive
paints and building materials will
significantly reduce the impact on the
environment. Initiatives such as green roofs
and using natural materials also significantly
reduce building and energy costs.
Buying locally is crucial in enabling local
communities to benefit from tourism, so it
is important to use local suppliers, where
possible for commodities such as for food,
furniture, uniforms etc. Buying from local
suppliers helps enable the money spent to
stay within the area. Local industries also
often use traditional techniques and methods,
which are unique to the area. Tourism support
for these local industries helps these cultures
and traditions to be protected and passed on
to future generations.
F. Purchasing
Hotels have the ability to buy in bulk and
to influence the supplier to provide less
packaging and use more environmentally
friendly materials.
Many countries such as Austria and
Finland require suppliers to take back
and reuse or recycle their packaging
waste. A hotel can help reduce hazardous
waste generation by making an effort to
The Holiday Inn in Sanya, China, uses local
bakers and launderers in order to increase
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Best practices
have well-defined legislation; however, there
are many hotels in countries around the world
that do not pay staff even a minimum wage.
the benefit to the community and reduce the
impact on the environment (Graci, 2009).
G. Promoting the local economy
It is also important that local residents
are employed in both operational and
managerial roles and given access to
training as necessary. Child labor laws must
also be followed.
Hotels should actively support initiatives
for community development in their area.
They are in an ideal position to be able
to consult with the local community and
identify their needs and concerns and then
work with them to enable them to benefit
from tourism. There are many means to
do this such as through education, health,
sanitation, employment, supporting local
charities, purchasing from local suppliers,
working with communities and offering new
opportunities for local small entrepreneurs.
Motivated staff members tend to deliver
improved guest services and good working
practices help to recruit and retain high
quality people. Appropriate and thorough
education and training of staff is essential for
improving a company’s overall sustainability
performance. Staff members need to be
trained on both skills related to their role
as well as being taught how they can help
improve the sustainability of the destination
and the business. For example, if staff
encourage clients to use local services such
as local guides and restaurants, the economic
benefits generated from tourism will be
spread throughout the local community and
clients will get to experience the local culture.
H. Employee engagement
As discussed, employee involvement
is necessary for the success of the
environmental program. Employee
engagement through educational
opportunities, site visits, competitions,
newsletters, and other means, encourages
staff to become involved in a hotel’s
environmental program.
I. Social responsibility
Some best practices include the
Walt Disney Parks and Resorts that
promotes environmental education and
communication between staff and guests.
The Willard InterContinental in Washington,
D.C. engages in social improvement efforts,
such as employee volunteering and supplier
diversity programs (Willard InterContinental
Hotel Washington D.C., 2009).
Social responsibility, such as becoming
involved in your local community or
the community at large, benefits the
organization in a number of ways.
The Accor group of hotels has an Earth
Guest Policy which focuses on the local
development, child protection, fight against
epidemics, and food elements of social
responsibility.
It is important that all staff members are
being treated well, paid a fair wage, and have
decent working conditions. Most countries
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Best practices
Six Senses also contributes 0.5% of its
revenues to its Social and Environmental
Responsibility Fund of which 60% is spent
locally by the company for sustainability
projects (Ernst and Young, 2008).
The Sofitel Hotel, one of the brands of the
Accor group, located in Cambodia gives
aid in local farming by providing agricultural
training. The hotel brand has also raised
awareness of the implications of the child sex
trade by having campaigns aimed at both
their guests and employees (Accor, 2010).
J. Conservation
As many tourists travel to experience the
natural habitats within which the hotel
operates, it is imperative that hotels focus on
conserving the resources that sustain them. By
the year 2025, the Earth could lose as many
as one-fifth of all species known to exist
today. Several hotels have been doing their
part to conserve the natural environment and
protect species.
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts are equally
involved in providing social initiatives
as well as environmental initiatives. The
company has projects in local community
areas in which their hotels and resorts are
located, relating to education, poverty, and
donating to charities (Fairmont, 2008).
The Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts based
in Singapore, considers corporate social
responsibility a core part of its business.
The company has developed environmental
programs in the Maldives and Seychelles
for marine conservation, in Phuket for
gibbon rehabilitation, and in Bangkok for
elephant protection. The company also
created community outreach programs,
such as programs for dengue eradication
on the Bintan Island in Indonesia. In
addition, the company supports indigenous
artistry through Banyan Tree Gallery, its
retail arm that markets local arts and crafts
at Banyan Tree hotels. To continuously
improve the company’s performance it
publishes an annual sustainability report
(Ernst and Young, 2008)
The El Nido Resort in Palawan, Philippines,
actively protects Palawan’s giant clam gardens
and supports the reintroduction of endangered
cockatoos (Ernst and Young, 2008).
Loreto Bay, in Baja California, is a
sustainable community emphasizing green
building practices, community initiatives
and a dedicated nature preserve that covers
over 4,800 acres (Ernst and Young, 2008).
The Morgan’s Rock Hacienda and Ecolodge
in Nicaragua, is part of a 2,500 acre tree
farming and restoration project and is
surrounded by 2,000 acres of private nature
reserve. (Ernst and Young, 2008).
Fiji’s Turtle Island Resort has helped to
restore the island’s ecological diversity
by planting 500,000 native trees and
maintaining a four-acre organic farm,
which provides the island with fruits and
vegetables (Ernst and Young, 2008).
The Six Senses Resort based in Thailand
has implemented the company’s Dragonfly
Habitat Project, which was suggested by an
employee to use a traditional approach to
deal with controlling mosquito populations.
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Best practices
The hospitality industry future
Hilton Hotels Corporation has pledged to
protect 1.4 million acres of endangered
rainforest.
In the 2010, Hospitality 2015 Game
Changers paper, the consulting firm
Deloitte states that hotels must develop
an environmentally responsible brand and
embed a 360-degree view of sustainability
within the business model. Price, quality,
brand and convenience will continue to
drive consumer spending, but sustainability
will increasingly be part of the decisionmaking process.
These hotels have put conservation on the
priority list and have actively contributed to
its protection.
K. Customer education
Tourists are often unaware of the impacts
they have while they are on holiday and
so it is important to help them understand
how they can minimize this. There are many
ways to do this for example by providing
information on the website, public areas of
the hotel, and in guest rooms.
Deloitte also estimates that by 2015,
sustainability will become a business
imperative, requiring companies to
educate their organization on the changing
consumer and regulatory environment
and to derive strategies to maximize their
market position (Deloitte 2010).
Hotels should foster the development of
green tourism and promote its benefits to
its guests.
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Appendix one: the environmental impacts of a hotel
Service/activity
Description
Main environmental impacts
Administration
Hotel management
Energy, water and materials
(mainly paper)
Reception of clients
Generation of waste and
hazardous waste (toner
cartridges)
Technical services
Equipment for producing
hot water and heating
Air conditioning
Lighting
Energy and water consumption
Consumption and generation
of a wide range of hazardous
products
Air and soil emissions
Swimming pools
Generation of waste water
Green areas
Pesticides use
Mice and insect
extermination
Repairs and maintenance
Restaurant/bar
Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Beverages and snacks
Energy, water and raw materials
consumption
Packaging waste
Organic waste
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Appendix one: the environmental impacts of a hotel
Service/activity
Description
Main environmental impacts
Kitchen
Food conservation
Consumption of energy and
water
Food preparation
Packaging waste
Dish washing
Oil waste
Organic waste
Generation of odors
Room use
Use by guests
Products for guests’ use
Energy, water and raw materials
consumption
Use of hazardous products
Housekeeping
Generation of waste packaging
Laundry
Washing and ironing of
guest clothes
Consumption of energy and
water
Washing and ironing of
hotel linens
Use of hazardous cleaning
products
(Graci, 2009)
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Appendix two: sample environmental policy statement
At X, we operate to high standards of performance and advocate socially and
environmentally sustainable business practices. Our aim is to bring a positive benefit
to the societies in which we operate through high quality services, economic growth,
environmental protection, community involvement and employment. In order to adhere to
these principles, we endeavor to:
• Set sound environmental and social objectives and targets, and integrate a process of
review and reporting.
• Comply with all applicable environmental laws, statutes and regulations.
• Continuously improve environmental performance and reduce environmental impact of
our activities.
• Create environmental awareness among out employees, customers, suppliers and the
community.
Add in specific goals for waste, water, energy, conservation, community involvement,
purchasing.
Online audit
Click here to create your own sustainability and environmental policy statement, to share
with your guests and employees.
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Appendix three: self-audit checklist
Organization, Reporting and Management
Do you have a written policy document?
Are one or more individuals within the business designated
with responsibility for managing environmental issues?
Are regular (at least annual) progress reports made on
environmental issues?
Is the business currently a member or a participant in an
environmental forum (e.g. green business club or waste
minimization club)?
Have planning procedures as specified in your country been
followed for any new developments undertaken either in the
last five years or planned to take place in the next two years?
Do you publish regular progress reports (at least annual) on
environmental issues, employee relations and the way the
business integrates into the community?
22
Yes No Measure
Comment
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Energy Management
Yes No Measure
Is the business actively engaged in achieving a reduction in
energy consumption and costs?
In energy efficient lighting installed in at least 50% of areas
AND is it effective?
Is there evidence of (or a policy of purchasing) low energy
equipment such as large electrical machinery (fridges,
microwaves, cookers, etc.)?
Has a member of staff been designated to monitor
performance continually and set realistic targets based on the
results?
Have meters been installed in all departments to help with the
monitoring of the energy use?
Has an initial assessment been undertaken and short term
wins been identified? E.g. changing to energy efficient light
bulbs, motion detectors etc?
Are measures in place to ensure that the hotels energy supply
does not impact on the energy for the local residents?
Are flow restrictors or controllers used to limit the output of
inefficient showerheads and taps?
Are housekeepers trained to identify common maintenance
problems such as toilet leaks etc?
Do you have an energy management system installed to turn
lights and air conditioning off in empty guest rooms?
Do you have a towel reuse/bed linen changing program?
Are bicycles available for guests to use to move around both
the resort and the local area?
Do you include in your policy to design energy efficiency into
all new construction and refurbishing projects?
Do the regulations in your country specify that you must buy
all of your energy from a specific energy supplier (for example,
a Government owned energy generation company)?
Are renewable sources of energy captured on site and used
(e.g. the sun, wind, bio gas or other non fossil fuel source)?
Is laundry washed in cold water as much as possible?
Is renewable energy purchased for use on site?
23
Comment
l
Water Management
Yes No Measure
Is the business actively engaged in achieving a reduction in
water consumption (also reduces cost)
Are water saving devices fitted to reduce water consumptions.
These devises may include any or all of the following: flow
restrictors, aerators, percussion taps or limiters on water
pipes?
Is grey water recycled and treated appropriately before use?
Are energy saving taps (e.g. mixer or temperature controlled)
fitted to ensure water is delivered at the temperature it is
required?
Are low flush WCs fitted or water saving devices installed in
WCs
Do irrigation systems for the hotel grounds and gardens use
treated water?
Do irrigation systems for the hotel grounds and gardens have
timing devices fitted to minimize operating times or have a
procedure to follow for manual watering?
Has an initial assessment been undertaken so that the main
areas of water consumption can be identified an action plan
for savings can be created?
Has a member of staff been designated to monitor
performance continually and set realistic targets based on the
results?
Has the property been checked for leaks?
Have short term wins been identified e.g. leaks from cisterns,
taps and pipes blocked, reducing wasting, sensors and low
flow devices fitted?
Is equipment serviced regularly to ensure it is functioning
efficiently?
Do you have any technologies installed to reduce water use
through recycling e.g.. Is rainwater or grey water captured and
reused for gardening, washing, floors, flushing toilets etc.?
Has the supply system been checked to ensure it does not
conflict with use for locals?
Are employees trained about water saving practices?
Are employees trained to be able to detect and repair leaking
showers, toilets etc.
24
Comment
l
Have water reducing policies been implemented e.g. not
hosing surfaces to clean them and not watering gardens in the
day?
Are drought resistant native plant species chosen for
landscaping?
Is the use of chemicals that end up in wastewater such as
detergent or bleach minimized wherever possible?
Is wastewater treated before it is let back into the
environment?
Waste
Yes No Measure
Is the business compliant with national waste regulations?
Has an audit been conducted to identify waste created
e.g. paper, plastic, aluminum, glass etc. and to see which
departments are responsible for the waste and how it is
currently disposed of?
Are procedures now in place to reduce or reuse the waste
where possible e.g. providing the relevant recycling bins in
each department, buying in bulk, buying products with less
packaging?
Have waste reduction targets been implemented?
Are recyclable items such as cardboard, plastic, glass, metals,
food waste etc. collected separately?
Is organic waste composted?
Have disposable items been replaced with reusable ones e.g.
refillable soap and shampoo containers, cloth laundry bags,
rechargeable batteries etc.?
Do you avoid using single use condiments, jam, butter etc?
Do you give back packaging to suppliers?
Do you donate reusable items such as furniture or food to
charities or employees?
Do you have a hazardous waste policy to dispose safely of
hazardous materials such as batteries and paint?
Have you implemented a battery recycling program for
employees and guests?
Have you provided the employees reusable mugs and
eliminated their use of disposable cups.
Are waste bins provided for guests around the hotel or resort?
25
Comment
l
Purchasing
Yes No Measure
Comment
Yes No Measure
Comment
Did you develop a written purchasing policy to try as much
as possible to purchase local and organic or biodegradable
products?
Is there a procedure in place to monitor annually how the
purchasing policy is being turned into practice
Are products sourced from local suppliers wherever possible?
Do you list the use of organic/local and fair trade ingredients
on restaurant menus?
If a produce cannot be sourced locally then does it come from
a fair trade supplier instead?
Does your hotel place an emphasis on purchasing products
that are certified for their environmental quality?
Does your hotel choose to work with suppliers who have a
code of practice setting out minimum standards and/or an
environmental policy?
Are products brought in bulk to minimize packaging?
Does the hotel take an active role in influencing and working
with suppliers to identify locally produced, fair trade and
environmentally friendly products?
Are products brought in bulk to minimize packaging?
Do you purchase cleaning materials with low environmental
impact?
Is purchasing discussed with other hoteliers to investigate the
potential for joint purchasing?
Community Support
What ways has the hotel identified that the local community
can benefit from the business?
Does the hotel support and actively contribute to any local
community development projects?
Does the hotel support and actively contribute to any
conservation or cultural heritage projects through financial or
in kind supports?
Do they provide any support for schools?
Do they showcase local artwork or handicrafts?
26
l
Are employees encouraged to volunteer in the local
community?
Is the hotel working together with government officials/other
hotels/tourism businesses to improve environmental standards
in the local area?
Does the hotel work with the local community to promote
environmental education?
Are events such as beach clean ups etc. organized for staff
and communities to get involved with?
Does the hotel’s overall business practice respect the
surrounding local culture and heritage?
Customer Education
Yes No Measure
Comment
Yes No Measure
Comment
Are guests encouraged to buy products that are made locally?
Are guests provided guidance on environmental protection
in the destination (e.g. protecting turtle nesting sites, the
importance of not wearing sunscreen near coral reefs?
Is there a list showing guests what products and souvenirs to
avoid buying?
Is information provided to guests regarding the areas culture
and religious characteristics?
Are guests provided with information about how to reuse,
recycle and reduce during their stay?
Does your hotel provide information and encourage guests
to follow energy saving practices e.g. switching off lights, air
conditioning, washing towels etc.?
Are guests given information and tips for water saving e.g.
turning off taps when brushing teeth etc.
Do they educate guests about how they can make a positive
contribution to local biodiversity conservation efforts?
Are environmental aims communicated to guests along with
advice to help them reduce their environmental impact and
support local conservation and community development
projects?
Are guests encouraged to explore the destination beyond the
boundaries of the property?
Employee Training
Do you include environmental aspects into employee training
such as how to reduce energy, water and waste?
Do you have an employee ideas campaign to solicit ideas
about how to reduce the hotel’s environmental impact?
27
l
References
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A Study of Voluntary Environmental Initiatives in the
Hotel Industry, University of Toronto, Toronto.
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Graci, S. 2009, Can Hotels Accommodate
Green? Examining What Influences Environmental
Commitment in the Hotel Industry, VDM Verlag,
Frankfurt.
Alexander, S. 2002, Green Hotels: Opportunities
and Resources for Success. Portland: Zero Waste
Alliance.
Bohdanowicz, P. 2005, ‘European Hoteliers’
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Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration
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Graci, S. and Dodds, R. 2009, ‘Why Go Green?
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Bohdanowicz, P. 2006, ‘Environmental Awareness
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(Eds.), Global Tourism , pp. ix, ButterworthHeinemann, Oxford.
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28

How to increase your bottom line by going green

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